I have a new romance coming out next week. Just in time for Amazon’s July 11 Prime push. Ha! This is my second romance. The process of going away from erotica to another genre was certainly an experience. I had decisions to make and, in hindsight, I guess not all of them were successful.

Several of my readers suggested I keep the same pen name. So, I did. The reasons were certainly valid and they made a compelling argument. Besides, from a marketing standpoint, it’s grueling to start over with new Twitter, Facebook, etc. I even contemplated starting a new blog just for my romance.

As an indie author, you’re a one-woman-shop unless you’re making enough money to outsource. I’m not selling well enough to do that.

In retrospect, I think I will start off this next romance with another pen name. Although my romance is steamy, it’s just not the same as erotica. Some readers thought I would keep to that trope and my romances would be a longer length erotica story. Unfortunately, I just don’t write that way. My mind doesn’t work like that no matter how hard I try.

So, what did I do? I spent money on editing and proofreading. I had to make choices: do I save enough money to advertise and market the book or do I spend the money on editors and proofreaders. I chose the latter.

As I researched and talked with lots of romance writers, I learned that some spend enormous cash on Amazon and Facebook (as well as other places) marketing their books. One established writer told me to pick another genre unless I was willing to spend at least a few thousand dollars on marketing the book. Otherwise, it would never get high enough in rank to make any money. Sigh.

With a limited amount of cash, I decided to spend a few hundred on an editor and then another hundred on proofreading. I think it’s better to have a good book than to market a poorly written book. Not that I think I’m a bad writer, but every book needs edits. And, most writers have a hard editing their own work. I know I do. I can read right past a mistake and never notice it.

I’ll publish a cover reveal in a few days. The woman who is designing my cover promised me I would have it before the 4th. (Fingers crossed) I will still market the book on Twitter under @HeatherErotica so maybe that will help, at least a little.